(A) There is hereby created the Ohio casino control commission described in Section 6(C)(4) of Article XV, Ohio Constitution.

(B) The commission shall consist of seven members appointed within one month of September 10, 2010, by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. The governor shall forward all appointments to the senate within twenty-four hours.

(1) Each commission member is eligible for reappointment at the discretion of the governor. No commission member shall be appointed for more than three terms in total.

(2) Each commission member shall be a resident of Ohio.

(3) At least one commission member shall be experienced in law enforcement and criminal investigation.

(4) At least one commission member shall be a certified public accountant experienced in accounting and auditing.

(5) At least one commission member shall be an attorney admitted to the practice of law in Ohio.

(6) At least one commission member shall be a resident of a county where one of the casino facilities is located.

(7) Not more than four commission members shall be of the same political party.

(8) No commission member shall have any affiliation with an Ohio casino operator or facility.

(C) Commission members shall serve four-year terms, except that when the governor makes initial appointments to the commission under this chapter, the governor shall appoint three members to serve four-year terms with not more than two such members from the same political party, two members to serve three-year terms with such members not being from the same political party, and two members to serve two-year terms with such members not being from the same political party.

(D) Each commission member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the end of the term for which the member was appointed. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term. Any member shall continue in office after the expiration date of the member's term until the member's successor takes office, or until a period of sixty days has elapsed, whichever occurs first. A vacancy in the commission membership shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

(E) The governor shall select one member to serve as chairperson and the commission members shall select one member from a different party than the chairperson to serve as vice-chairperson. The governor may remove and replace the chairperson at any time. No such member shall serve as chairperson for more than six successive years. The vice-chairperson shall assume the duties of the chairperson in the absence of the chairperson. The chairperson and vice-chairperson shall perform but shall not be limited to additional duties as are prescribed by commission rule.

(F) A commission member is not required to devote the member's full time to membership on the commission. Beginning on September 29, 2015, each member of the commission shall receive compensation of fifty thousand dollars per year. Beginning July 1, 2016, each member of the commission shall receive compensation of forty thousand dollars per year. Beginning July 1, 2017, each member of the commission shall receive compensation of thirty thousand dollars per year. Each member shall receive the member's actual and necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of the member's official duties.

(G) The governor shall not appoint an individual to the commission, and an individual shall not serve on the commission, if the individual has been convicted of or pleaded guilty or no contest to a disqualifying offense as defined in section 3772.07 of the Revised Code. Members coming under indictment or bill of information of a disqualifying offense shall resign from the commission immediately upon indictment.

(H) At least five commission members shall be present for the commission to meet. The concurrence of four members is necessary for the commission to take any action. All members shall vote on the adoption of rules, and the approval of, and the suspension or revocation of, the licenses of casino operators or management companies, unless a member has a written leave of absence filed with and approved by the chairperson.

(I) A commission member may be removed or suspended from office in accordance with section 3.04 of the Revised Code.

(J) Each commission member, before entering upon the discharge of the member's official duties, shall make an oath to uphold the Ohio Constitution and laws of the state of Ohio and shall give a bond, payable by the commission, to the treasurer of state, in the sum of ten thousand dollars with sufficient sureties to be approved by the treasurer of state, which bond shall be filed with the secretary of state.

(K) The commission shall hold one regular meeting each month and shall convene other meetings at the request of the chairperson or a majority of the members. A member who fails to attend at least three-fifths of the regular and special meetings of the commission during any two-year period forfeits membership on the commission. All meetings of the commission shall be open meetings under section 121.22 of the Revised Code except as otherwise allowed by law.

(L) Pursuant to divisions (A)(3) and (9) of section 101.82 of the Revised Code, the commission is exempt from the requirements of sections 101.82 to 101.87 of the Revised Code.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 471, §1, eff. 12/19/2016.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 483, §101.01, eff. 9/15/2014.

Added by 128th General AssemblyFile No.38, HB 519, §1, eff. 9/10/2010.